I can't remember what year (74 or 75) U/S auto makers went to the 13 symbol
serial numbers, but from that time forward it made no difference when a car
was sold to a customer it was registered according to the serial number year
(3rd symbol in) assigned to that car, it could sit on a dealers lot for 3
years and it would have to be registered as a "new" 78 sold in 1981, the
"Manufacturers Statment of Origin" is assigned at time of registering/sale for
the date sold. There is one exception to this and that is on trucks 2 tons and
over, they go by the date of sale and not year of manufacture. The 13 digit
systems tells year, engine size, restraint system, plant build out, shift
build out, color, upholstery and so on "FT"
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